Washington Capitals 2013 first round pick Andre Burakovsky has waffled on where he will play next season, but that’s over now. Burakovsky has personally announced that he has signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Washington Capitals.

Over the summer, Burakovsky’s contract with the HockeyAllsvenskan’s Malmo Redhawks expired. Then, before the CHL Import Draft, Burakovsky came to a verbal agreement to play for the Windsor Spitfires. Instead, the OHL’s Erie Otters drafted him. Burakovsky said, “[being picked by the Otters] is not what I had in mind.”

Andre Burakovsky: I have today signed on [with the Capitals] for three years.

So what happens now?

Andre Burakovsky: I’ll come to camp in September and try to break through as quickly as possible. I can play in the AHL and I can go to Erie. It’s up to Washington now, they’ll decide what’s best for me.

When did this come up?

Andre Burakovsky: It was a while ago. My agent Patrik Aronsson has worked hard to solve it and they were eager to bring me over. It shows they believe in me and it will be great to move over there.

Do you expect to play in the NHL as soon as this year?

Andre Burakovsky: I don’t know. We’ll see. Maybe I can do something like what Filip Forsberg did at the end of last season. I’m going over in September, then we’ll take it from there.

I would be shocked if he made the caps right away….. I say he tears up the OHL with McDavid.

yv

Good news. After Nicky by different reasons Caps having some difficulties in signing and playing Swedes recently (Forsberg, Sjogren, Gustafsson, even MaJo). Interesting choices for Caps now. To play him with future slotted superstar in Erie, or in Hershey, or less with Caps. if Caps will be awful in 2014-15 season they might also get through lottery C.McDavid to have the most deadliest pair in the league.

http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com Ian Oland

He has two good options in Erie and Hershey. This deal also gives him and the team a bunch of flexibility whenever he’s ready to make his NHL debut as well.

VeggieTart

From what I remember reading, Hershey has a lot of guys on its roster from signings and trades during the offseason. Will there be room on the roster for Burakovsky?

yv

Maybe another really good news coming later about MiG signing?!? Stubitz on CBS discussing whether it is true or not today’s Belarus TV news report that M.Grabovsky will sign with Caps, and also saying that he would be perfect for and with Caps. If this is true than this Caps off-season will be not bad at all.

http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com Ian Oland

Hershey indeed has a lot of depth in the forward ranks now, and that’s not even including a guy like Stan Galiev who should make the Bears this year. That’s why Erie is Burakovsky’s most likely destination. But the Caps get the opportunity to evaluate him in training camp and place him where he belongs and where he’ll develop best. That’s great news.

Kyle Koller

I say Erie for 1 year, Hershey for another and would be best for a player like him. He can learn how to dominate alongside McDavid and the learn how to play North American hockey. There is no spot for him until he can prove he can be a difference maker like Semin.